Pant'zer last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Pant'zer is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Pant'zer.

Meaning of Pant'zer

A surname possibly of German/Austrian origin derived from the German word "Panzer" meaning armor or tank.

Pant'zer, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Pant'zer surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Pant'zer in America

Pant'zer is the 120330th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pant'zer surname appeared 133 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pant'zer.

The history of the last name Pant'zer

The surname Pantzer has its origins in Central Europe, specifically within the German-speaking regions of what is now Germany and Austria. The name dates back to the medieval period, likely around the 12th or 13th centuries. It is derived from the Middle High German word "panzer," which means "armor" or "coat of mail," suggesting that the name may have originally been occupational, referring to a maker or wearer of armor.

In historical records, the surname Pantzer appears in various forms, reflecting the wide range of dialects and spellings used over centuries. Manuscripts from the 13th century, such as feudal records and tax rolls, contain references to individuals with names like "Pantzere" and "Pantzher," indicating its presence and evolution across different regions.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Pantzer can be found in a 12th-century Bavarian document, where a Henricus Pantzer is mentioned as being granted a piece of land. Given the era, this individual might have been involved in feudal militia or armory, occupations that required a name reflecting one's trade.

Throughout history, several notable individuals carried the Pantzer surname. One of the earliest was Georg Pantzer (ca. 1560–1625), a German armorer known for crafting intricate and durable coats of mail for the nobility. Another prominent figure was Johann Pantzer (1645–1702), an Austrian military engineer who contributed to fortification designs during the Habsburg-Ottoman wars.

In the 18th century, another individual, Karl Pantzer (1768–1840), an Austrian cartographer, gained recognition for his detailed maps, which were crucial in military and civil planning. In the 19th century, Wilhelm Pantzer (1800–1865), a German philosopher, published several influential works on metaphysics and aesthetics, further embedding the surname in the annals of intellectual history.

Bertha Pantzer (1845–1920), a German-born American philanthropist, made significant contributions to society by funding educational institutions and public libraries in the United States. Her legacy continues to be remembered in the institutions she supported.

The surname Pantzer carries with it a rich history marked by contributions to various fields, reflecting its roots in medieval European craftsmanship and its evolution through centuries of social and professional development.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pant'zer

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Pant'zer.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Pant'zer was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.49% 127
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.76% 5
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Pant'zer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Pant'zer, please contact us.

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"Pant'zer last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 15, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/pantzer-surname-popularity/.

"Pant'zer last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/pantzer-surname-popularity/. Accessed 15 June, 2025

Pant'zer last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/pantzer-surname-popularity/.

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